Concrete construction



Jan. 28, 1941. E. F. ALLBRIGHT mm. 2,230,153

v CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION Filed July 19, 1938 INVENTORS' BY 4.;- 2&4 L5 CLWQLVCF ATTO NEY Patented Jan. 28, 1941 PATENT orricr.

CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION Edwin F. Allbright, Wollaston, and Anthony M. Zottoli, Quincy, Mass.

Application July 19, 1938, Serial No. 220,030

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a concrete construction. 1

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved concrete construction of the type forming the subject-matter of the United States patents to Allbright Nos. 1,307,031, 1,434,- 242 and 1,476,572 embodying concrete slabs having domed or recessed panels, and in which provision is made for improving the acoustical characteristics of the slab in a simple and practical manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel, economical and practical method of making an improved concrete construction of the character above specified.

With these general objects in view, and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the concrete construction having the improved characteristics, in the method of making the same, and in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined and claimed at the end of this specification.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a sufficient portion of a concrete structure embodying the invention to enable the same to be understood; Fig. 2 is a plan of a portion of a floor or ceiling embodying the invention; Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are details in section of different embodiments of the invention to be referred to.

In the United States patents to Allbright Nos. 1,307,031, 1,434,242 and 1,476,572 above referred to, the concrete construction illustrated therein may be used to form the floor or roof of a building and comprises a series of columns or supports spaced apart and having a poured concrete slab supported upon and integral with the top of the column or support. The concrete slab is formed by being poured over metal domes constituting temporary forms and which when removed leave domes, recesses or panels in the under surface of the concrete slab and form intervening de-,

pending ribs of concrete extending transversely and longitudinally of the slab. The ribs are preferably provided with metal reenforcements.

The concrete structure thus produced is relatively light in weight, and the saving in dead weight permits wider spans and column or support spacings, effecting savings in the foundationse as well as in the shoring required during the construction of the slab.

The present invention seeks to improve the acoustical characteristicsof the under or paneled surface of a concrete roof or floor slab of the character above described in a simple, practical and economical manner and without detracting from the strength, lightness in Weight, paneled appearance, or any of the other desirable charac teristics of the concrete structure illustrated in the Allbright patents above referred to. 5

Referring now to the drawing, and as illustrated in the Allbright patents above referred to, the present concrete fioor or roof construction or slab embodies" columns or supports such as marginal beams, girders or walls Ill which are preferably provided with capitals l2 of usual structure, and the concrete slab I5 is supported upon the columns or supports II]. In the preferred and illustrated embodiment of the invention, the concrete slab I5 is constructed to embody dropped panels 16 between the capitals and the slab formed integral therewith and arranged to project a substantial distance beyond the columns and capitals to distribute the support from the capitals to the slab.

The concrete slab indicated generally at l5 comprises solid concrete panels or areas l8 disposed immediately above and formed integrally with the dropped panels 16, and with intermediate bays or areas 20 between said solid areas. The intermediate bays or areas are formed with domes or recesses 22 in the under surface thereof, and each of these domes is preferably rectangular at its lower end and the walls or ribs I9 between adjacent domes or recesses preferably slope upwardly, producing a desirable arch efiect. The walls orv ribs are preferably relatively thin as compared to the area of the recesses and these depending ribs cooperate with corresponding ribs of adjacent and other domes or recesses to form 3 in effect longitudinally and transversely extended depending ribs of the entire floor orroof slab and extending from one solid area to another.

In the construction of the concrete floor or roof slab illustrated in the Allbright patents above referred to, steel domes comprising removable forms are preferably employed, being supported during the pouring and setting of the concrete in the manner illustrated in said patents, and are thereafter removed after the concrete has become set, in accordance with the usual practice employed in constructing concrete roof and floor slabs. The ribs and solid areas of the floor slab are preferably provided with reinforcing steel, all as described in said patents.

In order to improve the acoustical characteristics of the concrete floor or roof slab above described, acoustical material and preferably a preformed acoustical block 255 is embodied in the concrete roof or floor slab'at the time the slab is poured, or in some instances such a preformed acoustical block may be attached to the slab after the same has been poured and become set, to form one or more walls of the aforesaid domes or recesses 22. In the accompanying drawing different embodiments of the invention are illustrated, and in Fig. 1 a pre-cast acoustical tile or block is shown having the edges thereof beveled and preferably of a minimum thickness of two inches. A tile or block 26 is embodied in the slab to form the top of each recess or panel. In practice these pre-cast acoustical tiles or blocks 26 may be placed on top of the metal domes and temporarily fastened thereto by Wire or otherwise, and the concrete poured in the usual manner to produce the general type of floor slab set forth in the Allbright patents above referred to. If desired the acoustical tile or block itself may embody metal reenforcement (not shown), and after the concrete slab has set and the removal of the metal domes, there is produced a concrete roof or floor slab of the panel type above referred to, and with the top wall of each panel composed of the acoustical tile. In practice various formsof acoustical tile or block may be used, but we prefer to utilize the material forming the subject-matter of the United States patent to Zottoli No. 1,991,877. The acoustical tile composed of the cork-cementitious material as set forth in said Zottoli patent provides not only an efiicient acoustical material but also a convenient material into which the nails of under-boarding and similar floor finishing materials may be secured, so that the structure not only provides desirable acoustical correction for the paneled under surface of the floor or ceiling slab, but also enables wooden flooring to be secured thereto with more convenience than with an all-concrete structure of slab.

In the construction illustrated in Fig. 3, the acoustical tile 26 may be temporarily fastened to the tops of the metal domes in a manner similar to that employed in the formation of the construction illustrated in Fig. 1, and then the concrete poured around and over the acoustical tile to form a substantial thickness of concrete 30 above the acoustical tile 26, preferably a minimum of two inches. This construction provides the desired acoustical correction for the under surface of the floor or roof panel, and provides in addition a T-section of concrete extending in both directions of the floor slab. The floor surface of any desired finishing material, such as linoleum, asphalt, tile, or wood block, may be cemented down to the top of the slab.

It will also be observed by reference to Figs. 1 and 3 that the structure enables concrete slabs of varying depths to be economically produced with a single depth of metal dome. By varying the thickness of the acoustical or other filler blocks 26 and pouring sufiicient concrete either flush with the top of the blocks as shown in Fig. 1, or over the blocks as shown in Fig. 3, so as to provide at least the desired two inches of con crete above the blocks as shown in Fig. 3, it is possible to produce a concrete slab having ribs of increased depth and having proportionately greater strength without the necessity of using metal domes or forms of proportionately increased depth. This feature eliminates the necessity for carrying in stock a large number of different sizes of metal domes in order to produce concrete slabs of varying strengths and depths.

In the modifications illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5,

preformed acoustical material 32 of a size and shape such as to fit snugly into the top of the panels or recesses in the floor or ceiling slab may be cemented or fastened in any suitable manner in such position, and installed after the floor slab has been poured, the concrete set, and the metal domes removed. This general system of attaching the acoustical slabs lends itself particularly to acoustical correction of existing structures. In the modification of Fig. 5, the acoustical material is arranged to not only extend across the top surface of the panel recess, but also along the sides of the panel opening to provide additional acoustical correction.

Instead of the general type of flat slab structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, it will be under- I stood that the present invention may be embodied in the general type of floor or roof slab embodying two-way ribs and supported on four sides by marginal beams, girders or walls. The beams in turn may be supported by columns and the provision of the acoustical tile or material in the panel openings of both of the foregoing types of slabs serves to provide desirable acoustical correction to the paneled or undersurface of the floor or roof slabs in a simple, practical and economical manner.

As used throughout the claims, the term wall of the recess or dome in the under-surface of the concrete slab is intended to define and include both the side and top walls thereof.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a concrete construction, a concrete floor or roof slab and supporting members therefor, said slab having panels or recesses formed in the under surface thereof, and ribs between said recesses and having relatively thin sections of acoustical material disposed within and secured to the walls of said recesses, said ribs projecting beyond said sections of acoustical material whereby to retain the recessed form of said slab.

2. In a concrete construction, a concrete floor or roof slab and supporting members therefor, said slab having panels or recesses formed in the under surface thereof, and ribs between said recesses and having a preformed block of acoustical material disposed within and secured to a wall of a plurality of said recesses, said ribs projecting beyond said blocks of acoustical material whereby to retain the recessed form of said slab.

3. In a concrete construction, a concrete fioor or roof slab and supporting members therefor, said slab having panels or recesses formed in the under surface thereof, and ribs between said recesses and having preformed blocks of acoustical material comprising cork and cementitious material, disposed within and secured to a wall of each of a plurality of said recesses, said ribs projecting beyond said blocks of acoustical material whereby to retain the recessed form of said slab,

4. In a concrete construction, a concrete floor or roof slab and supporting members therefor, said slab having deep panels or recesses formed in the under surface thereof to form a coifered ceiling and having walls of said recesses provided with relatively thin sections of acoustical material, the depth of said panels or recesses being greater than the thickness of said sections of acoustical material whereby to retain the coffered form of said slab.

5. In a concrete construction, a concrete floor or roof slab and supporting members therefor, said slab having deep panels or recesses formed in the under surface thereof to form a coffered ceiling and having the top and side walls of said recesses provided with relatively thin sections of acoustical material, the depth of said panels or recesses being greater than the thickness of said sections of acoustical material whereby to retain the coffered form of said slab.

6. In a concrete construction, a concrete floor or roof slab and supporting members therefor, said slab having deep panels or recesses formed in the under surface thereof to form a coffered ceiling and having the top walls of said recesses provided with relatively thin sections of acoustical material, the depth of said panels or recesses being greater than the thickness of said sections of acoustical material whereby to retain the coffered form of said slab.

'7. In a concrete construction, in combination, supporting members, solid slabs resting on said supporting members and projecting substantial distances beyond the same, bays between said solid slabs, each bay having an upper portion and a series of transversely extending ribs depending therefrom with deep domes or recesses between said ribs open at the under side of said slab, said domes or recesses being distributed throughout the bays and provided with acoustical material constituting walls thereof without departing from the recessed form of said slab, said solid slabs and bays constituting an integral concrete slab extending across said supporting members.

8. In a concrete construction, the combination of supporting members, of an integral concrete slab extending across the same and having a series of bays, each comprising an upper portion and a series of transversely extending ribs depending therefrom with deep domes or recesses between said ribs open at the under side of said slab, said domes or recesses being provided with acoustical material forming at least one wall thereof while retaining the recessed form of said slab.

9. In a concrete construction, the combination of supporting members, of an integral concrete slab extending across the same and having a series of bays, each comprising an upper portion and a series of transversely extending ribs depending therefrom with deep domes or recesses between said ribs open at the under side of said slab, said domes or recesses having attached thereto and forming at least one wall thereof pre-cast blocks or acoustical material without departing from the recessed form of said slab.

10. In a concrete construction, the combination of supporting members and an integral concrete slab extending across the same and having a series of bays, each bay comprising an upper portion and a series of transversely extending ribs depending therefrom with deep domes or recesses between said ribs open at the under side of said slab, and preformed acoustical blocks forming the top walls of said recesses and disposed with the upper surfaces thereof substantially flush with the upper surface of the concrete slab.

11. In a concrete construction, a concrete floor or roof slab and supporting members therefor, said slab having deep panels or recesses formed in the under surface thereof, and having preformed acoustical blocks disposed in the slab with the under surface of the blocks forming the top walls of said recesses and with the upper surfaces of said blocks substantially flush with the top of the slab.

EDWIN F. AILBRIGHT. ANTHONY M. ZOTTOLI. 

